Standard Lemma guide

scamp

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈskæmp/ without æ-raising
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˈskeə̯mp/ æ-raising
  • /ˈskɛə̯mp/ æ-raising
  • rhymes with -æmp

1

noun

Meaning 1

A rascal, swindler, or rogue; a ne'er-do-well.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: swindler, rogue, agitator, bad boy, bad news, bear, beggar, bhoy, blackguard, booger, boot boy, bovver boy, brat, brawler, breedbate, buffoon, bugger, bully, charva, cutup, devil, elf, enfant terrible, firebrand, gadfly, hell-raiser, hood, hoodlum, hool, hoolie, hooligan, hothead, imp, inciter, initiator, instigator, jackanapes, joker, jokester, kindle-coal, kindle-fire, knave, lout, makebate, minx, mischief, mischief-maker, miscreant, ne'er-do-well, pixie, pot stirrer, practical joker, prankster, puck, punk, rabble rouser, rakeshame, rantipole, rapscallion, rascal, roly-poly, rowdy, ruffian, scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, shit disturber, shitmonger, shit-stirrer, tearaway, thug, titivil, tough, troublemaker, undesirable, vandal, wag, wagpastie, wrangler, yob, yobbo

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A mischievous person, especially a playful, impish youngster.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • My nephew is a little scamp who likes to leave lighted firecrackers under the lawnchairs of his dozing elders.
  • While walking home from the bar, he was set upon by a bunch of scamps who stole his hat.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A preliminary design sketch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: advertising, business, marketing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To skimp; to do something in a skimpy or slipshod fashion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

Examples

  • 1884, Samuel Smiles, Men of Invention and Industry His work was always first-rate. There was no scamping about it. Everything that he did was thoroughly good and honest.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

one who is playfully mischievous

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: imp, monkey, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywag

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: child, kid, youngster, minor, shaver, nipper, small fry, tiddler, tike, tyke, fry, nestling

Narrower terms: terror, brat, little terror, holy terror

6

verb

Meaning 6

perform hastily and carelessly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: perform, execute, do

History

Etymology

From Middle Dutch schampen (“slip away”), from Old French escamper (“to run away, to make one's escape”), from Vulgar Latin *excampāre. Compare escape.

Perhaps related to sense 1, but influenced by the later attested skimp; however, compare Icelandic skamta (“to dole out, to stint”), which is related to skammur (“short”).

Across languages

Translations

76 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: хаймана (hajmana) — rascal, swindler
  • Chinese Mandarin: 惡棍 /恶棍 (ègùn) — rascal, swindler
  • Chinese Mandarin: 流氓 (liúmáng) — rascal, swindler
  • Czech: darebák — rascal, swindler
  • Finnish: lurjus — rascal, swindler
  • German: Gauner — rascal, swindler
  • German: Schuft — rascal, swindler
  • German: Halunke — rascal, swindler
  • German: Schwindler — rascal, swindler
  • German: Bösewicht — rascal, swindler
  • German: Schurke — rascal, swindler
  • German: Spitzbube — rascal, swindler
  • German: Schubiack — rascal, swindler
  • Ingrian: vekale — rascal, swindler
  • Italian: manigoldo — rascal, swindler
  • Italian: canaglia — rascal, swindler
  • Italian: birbante — rascal, swindler
  • Japanese: 悪党 (akutō) — rascal, swindler
  • Japanese: 悪漢 (akkan) — rascal, swindler
  • Māori: poroteke — rascal, swindler
  • Plautdietsch: Schuft — rascal, swindler
  • Romanian: ticălos — rascal, swindler
  • Romanian: canalie — rascal, swindler
  • Russian: негодя́й (negodjáj) — rascal, swindler
  • Russian: мерза́вец (merzávec) — rascal, swindler
  • Russian: подле́ц (podléc) — rascal, swindler
  • Ottoman Turkish: لوند (levend) — rascal, swindler
  • Bulgarian: калпазанин (kalpazanin) — mischievous youngster
  • Catalan: bordegàs — mischievous youngster
  • Catalan: bordegassa — mischievous youngster
  • Chinese Mandarin: 小鬼 (xiǎoguǐ) — mischievous youngster
  • Czech: dareba — mischievous youngster
  • Czech: uličník — mischievous youngster
  • Czech: rošťák — mischievous youngster
  • Esperanto: bubaĉo — mischievous youngster
  • Finnish: riiviö — mischievous youngster
  • French: chenapan — mischievous youngster
  • French: galopin — mischievous youngster
  • French: garnement — mischievous youngster
  • French: morpion — mischievous youngster
  • French: moustre — mischievous youngster
  • French: sacripant — mischievous youngster
  • German: Schlingel — mischievous youngster
  • German: Schlawiner — mischievous youngster
  • German: Lümmel — mischievous youngster
  • German: Frechdachs — mischievous youngster
  • German: Frechling — mischievous youngster
  • German: Strolch — mischievous youngster
  • German: Halunke — mischievous youngster
  • German: Gauner — mischievous youngster
  • German: Bösewicht — mischievous youngster
  • German: Spitzbube — mischievous youngster
  • German: Schelm — mischievous youngster
  • German: Schalk — mischievous youngster
  • German: Bazi — mischievous youngster
  • German: Lausbub — mischievous youngster
  • Hebrew: מַזִּיק (mazík) — mischievous youngster
  • Ido: bubacho — mischievous youngster
  • Japanese: 茶目 (chame) — mischievous youngster
  • Polish: baciar — mischievous youngster
  • Portuguese: pestinha — mischievous youngster
  • Romanian: ștrengar — mischievous youngster
  • Romanian: pușlama — mischievous youngster
  • Russian: шалу́н (šalún) — mischievous youngster
  • Russian: пострелёнок (postreljónok) — mischievous youngster
  • Russian: чертёнок (čertjónok) — mischievous youngster
  • Russian: бесёнок (besjónok) — mischievous youngster
  • Russian: дьяволёнок (dʹjavoljónok) — mischievous youngster
  • Welsh: mawrddrwg — mischievous youngster
  • Yiddish: מזיק (mazek) — mischievous youngster
  • Bulgarian: претупвам (pretupvam) — 1. To skimp; to do something in a skimpy or slipshod fashion
  • Czech: odfláknout — 1. To skimp; to do something in a skimpy or slipshod fashion
  • Czech: flákat — 1. To skimp; to do something in a skimpy or slipshod fashion
  • Czech: odbýt — 1. To skimp; to do something in a skimpy or slipshod fashion
  • Czech: odbývat — 1. To skimp; to do something in a skimpy or slipshod fashion
  • German: pfuschen — 1. To skimp; to do something in a skimpy or slipshod fashion